Oct 20 Popcorn Addict: Halloween

In 2018, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original Halloween film with…Halloween. 40 years ago, babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) was stalked and fought frightening serial killer Michael Myers. In Halloween (2018), we re-visit Laurie’s life—one filled with perpetual fear and paranoia given the trauma she and her friends endured 40 years ago.

Thus, this film is a direct sequel to the original. Audiences are expected to ignore all the other Halloween films, including ones in which Laurie starred (and was once killed). Although this doesn’t make sense, it helps to make for an interesting story of how someone copes with such a terrible tragedy. Laurie has had two divorces and lost a daughter due to being considered an unfit mother by the courts. Her daughter is now an adult with a teenage daughter of her own, and living a normal life; while Laurie lives in solitude in a masterfully built safe house. The film takes place on the eve of Halloween when Michael Myers is about to be transferred to another lockdown facility.

You know what happens from here…he obviously escapes and begins hunting and terrorizing in search for Laurie. There’s not much to say from here. The story is pretty straightforward, as it’s your average slasher film. Many of Michael’s kills are so gruesome, they occur off-screen—but shout-out to the sound engineers for including the gory sounds of the murders.

While everyone was pretty average, as expected, Curtis was a star in her role as the presumed paranoid Laurie. Tough, powerful, smart—Laurie was amazing. A second shout-out goes to Julian (Jibrail Nantambu), a precocious babysitting client of one of Laurie’s granddaughter’s friends. He is adorable and delivered great comedic relief.

In sum, it was a play-by-the-numbers slasher film that was enjoyable enough. There was nothing incredibly new or innovative about the film, but if you love the Laurie-Myers dynamic, it is worth seeing this October.

Rating: 6/10

Can you believe its been 40 years since the debut? Did Michael Meyers still scare the crap out of you? Didn’t Curtis still kick ass?!?! Leave your thoughts on Halloween in the comments below!